Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Home Group (11/29/07)
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TITLE: The Eavesdropper | Previous Challenge Entry
By Dorothy Purge
12/06/07 -
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Rebekah had just returned from her day’s work of picking olives and sat on a crude stone in her house as she packed the olives in an old basket. She anxiously listened to hear the voice of her neighbours while she quietly hummed the words of the song she had made about them:
“Mary and Martha
Very pretty girls,
One wears silk and the other wears satin.
They Love Jesus
And He loves them.”
Rebekah admired the little statues she had carved from clay of Mary, Martha and their younger brother Lazarus. They had a special friend, Jesus, and she had began carving a statue of Him too. Rebekah peeped through the bare window and saw Lazarus returning from the field where he had been planting grains.
“He’s home early today. Maybe he is ill or perhaps their friend will be visiting later. That would be so good I could spend time doing something useful – eavesdropping.”
Then Rebekah noticed Martha cleaning the hand-made rug.
“Busy as usual. What does she finds to do all day long?”
Rebekah bent below the window and carefully leaned one ear against it.
“Oh, I feel like going to meet Jesus,” said Mary.. “I can’t wait to hear His stories.”
“Perhaps you could fill the jar with water,” encouraged Martha. “Jesus will be thirsty when he arrives tomorrow. I will rise early in the morning and make fresh dough.”
“ I am so excited! I must get myself ready to eavesdrop all day tomorrow!.”
The noon day sun was hot as the Shepherd-looking figure arrived at the marble-made house.
“He never seems to be hurrying.”
Immediately Jesus took off his sandals at the door, Rebekah took up her eavesdropping position just below the window. She had learnt the exact spot at which to put her ear.
“Such a good home group! I wish I had the love and fellowship of a family where everyone was different – like Mary, Martha and Lazarus. And a friend like Jesus coming to visit.”
Rebekah raised her head and could see Mary, as usual, sitting on the rug at Jesus feet. Martha was busy setting the table.
“I know she will leave some of that tasty dough for me.”
“Mary, you should be helping me. Jesus is tired, let Him rest.”
“Dear Martha,” Jesus said gently. “Mary is doing the right thing. You are both loving sisters. While you enjoy showing love to your neighbours, Mary is showing the love and honour for God. She is like a prayer, very close to the heart. So Martha, you see, it is all about love.
“Come let’s go to the table.”
“He always says ‘Come’ with such command. And I always wonder why the family takes everything to the table – not just the meal but they share their thoughts.”
A few hours after Jesus had left his home group, Martha shouted:
“Lazarus is dead! Where is Jesus when we need Him? ”
The neighbours wept with Mary and Martha. News was sent to Jesus that Lazarus was dead.
The fourth day after the death. Jesus was on His way to Bethany. Martha went to meet Him.
“Lazarus is not dead. He is only sleeping and He will rise again,” said Jesus.
Rebekah, who did not want to be seen in her rags, inquired and heard that Martha had blamed Jesus for Lazarus’ death. In turn Jesus had told her that Lazarus was not dead. He was only sleeping and in fact that he (Lazarus) would rise again. Jesus had also said something mysterious: “He (Jesus) was the resurrection and the life.”
Rebekah plugged her ear closely to her window but nothing she heard made sense so she ran with the forceful crowd to the spot where Lazarus was buried.
Jesus commanded that the stone be rolled away from Lazarus’ tomb and that the ties be unwrapped from his body.
“The body rots my Lord!” said one man.
Jesus prayed to His father.
The crowd drifted covering their nostrils.
“Lazarus, Come forth!” Jesus commanded.
“God of Abraham!” said an old man.
“Jesus is indeed the resurrection and the life!
“Let my eavesdropping be dead and the good things in my life be brought to life. I want to be in the great resurrection .”
“Hosannah!” Rebekah joined in the chorus as the people scattered.
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